CIoD President Tasks Women Directors to Promote  Workplace  Equality

Dike Onwuamaeze

The President and Council Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria (CIoD), Mr. Tijjani M. Borodo, has tasked women directors to advocate  policies that would promote gender equality in the workplace.

Borodo gave the task  during the CIoD’s “2024 Women Directors Conference” with the theme ““Leading in a Disruptive Age: Opportunities in Emerging Technologies, DEI & ESG.”

He said that “women directors can advocate  policies that promote gender equality in the workplace, such as equal pay, parental leave, and flexible work arrangements. 

“Women directors can play a crucial role in driving ESG initiatives within their organisations by understanding the risks and opportunities associated with ESG factors, and therefore helping organisations to develop a sustainable business strategy that aligns with the values of its stakeholders.

“They can also advocate policies that promote responsible corporate behavior and environmental stewardship.

“For instance, women directors can help to ensure that their companies are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint and mitigate climate change.

“They can also advocate fair labour practices and ethical procurement. By integrating ESG considerations into their decision-making, women directors can help their companies to build a strong reputation and create long-term value.”

In her welcome address, the Chairman, Women Directors Development Committee of CIoD, Mrs. ‘Debola Osibogun, said  that conference reflected a “shared commitment to advancing the frontiers of leadership, ensuring that women directors continue to play a significant role in shaping the future of our organisations, industries, and society at large.”

Osibogun said: “We find ourselves at a crossroads where our nation has witnessed the rapid advancement of technology and the increasing focus on sustainability and inclusivity.

“At the center of all these in significant numbers are the amazons; shaping the cause of innovations in technologies, DEI, and ESG in Nigeria and beyond; leading with zest and purpose.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we can’t claim that there are no challenges in ensuring DEI the workplace and adhering to ESG principles for long-term value creation.

“It is in time of challenges that effective leadership become important, and indispensable in creating growth and opportunities. The decisions we make and the actions we take will have lasting effects on our organisations and communities.”

She said that the conference was designed to “provide us with the opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences, and learn from one another.”

Delivering the keynote address, the Co-Founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation, Dr. Awale Elumelu, said that the conference would enable women to explore and tap into the opportunities that come with emerging technologies.

She therefore, urged women directors to embrace these technologies and continue to up-skill and reskill themselves in order to meet up with the current trends.

According to her, TEF has empowered 8,000 women in 54 African countries in 10 years.

“I am glad to say that 10 years later, we have funded over 8,000 women-owned businesses in 54 African countries. That is an impressive 46 per cent of the total number of entrepreneurs we have funded on our continent.

“We have seen that truly when you empower a woman, you empower the nation,” she said.